LAV 



LAV 



autumn or spring seasons at dlficrent times, in 

 patches of six or eight togetlier, in the places 

 where they arc to grow. Where the soil is light and 

 *irv, the autumn is the best season,*'as the plants 

 appear more early, but in other cases the spring 

 should be ]ireferrcd. The plants al'tcrwards only 

 require to be kept clean trom weeds, and be pro- 

 perly supported by branchy sticks. 



The last sort may likewise be increased by 

 transplanting the roots in the autumn; but 

 the plants in this way are seldom so good as by 

 seeds. 



The two first sorts must be sown annually, but 

 the last will remain many years. 



It is the practice with the gardeners who raise 

 the first sorts tor the London markets, to sow 

 them in the autumn in pots, and secure them 

 trom severe weather, by placing them in hot-bed 

 frames ; by which means they can bring them 

 much more early to market. They may be con- 

 tinued in flower the whole sunnuer by repeated 

 sowings in the spring. When sown in pots 

 they should be watered frequently 



They are all highly ornamental in the borders, 

 clumps, and other parts of pleasure-grounds, 

 when properly intermixed in their species and 

 different varieties. 



LAVANDULA, a genus comprising plants 

 of the shrubby evergreen kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Didtjvamla 

 Gymrwspcrmin, and ranks in the natural order 

 of Vertidllatce. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 Jeafed perianthium, ovale : mouth obscurely 

 toothed, short, permanent, supported by a bracte : 

 tlie corolla one-petallcd, ringent, resupine : tube 

 cylindric, longer than the calyx : border spread- 

 ing: one lip looking upwards, larger, bifid, 

 spreading : the other lip looking downwards, 

 trifid: divisions all roundish, nearly equal : the 

 stamina have four short filaments, within the 

 tube of the corolla, deflected, of which two are 

 shorter: anthers small : the pistillum is a four- 

 parted germ : style filiform, length of the tube : 

 stigma two-lobed ; obtuse, converging : there is 

 no pericarpium: calyx converging with the 

 mouth and guarding the seed : the seeds four, 

 obovate. 



The species cultivated are: 1. L. Spica, Com- 

 mon Lavender; 2. L. Stcechas, French Laven- 

 der; 3. L. dentata, Tooth-leaved Lavender; 

 4. L. mnltifida, Canary Lavender. 



The first has a perennial, thick, woody root : 

 the stem shrubby, much branched, frequently five 

 or six feet high, four-cornered, acute-raigled, 

 lomentose ; the leaves numerous, blunt, hoary, 

 the upper ones sessile, the lower petioled : the 

 flowers are produced in terminating spikes from 



the young shoots, on long peduncles ; the spikes 

 are composed of interrupted whorls in which tha 

 flowers are from six to ten, the lower whorls 

 more remote .- each flower upright, on a short 

 pedicel : the bractes broad-ovate, awned, acn 

 minatc, veined : the common colour of the co- 

 rolla is blue, but it varies with white flowers : 

 the whole plant is covered with a down composed 

 of forked hairs. It is a native of the South of Eu- 

 rope, flowering here from July to September. 



Tliere are varieties with narrow leaves \\ith 

 blue flowers, and with wliiie flowers with broad 

 leaves, and Dwarf Lavender. 



This species is the,Common Lavender ; but 

 the narrow-leaved variety with blue flowers is 

 the sort cultivated for its flowers, fur medicinal 

 purposes. 



The broad-leaved sort has much shorter and 

 broader leaves, and the- branches are shorter, 

 more compact, and fuller of leaves : it con- 

 tinues several years without producing flowers j 

 and when it docs, the leaves on the flowerin<r- 

 stalks approach nearer to those of the Connnoii 

 Lavender, but arc still broader : the stalks grow 

 taller, the si)ikes are looser and larger, the flowers 

 smaller, and appear a little later in the season. 



The second species has a low, thick, shrubby 

 stalk, about two feet high, sending out woody 

 branches the whole length : the leaves about an 

 inch long, hoary and pointed, of a strong aro- 

 matic scent, opposite at each joint, with smaller 

 leaves of the same shape coming out at the same 

 places : the branches are terminated with scaly 

 spikes of purple flowers, four-cornered, and an 

 inch in length ; and at the topis a coma or small 

 tuft of purple leaves. When it begins to flower, 

 there are only four flowers in a whorl, but these 

 are afterwards increased by the lateral gems, till 

 it becomes gradually round. The whole plant 

 has a very strong, aromatic, agreeable odour. 

 It is a native of the South of Europe, flowerino- 

 from May to July. 



There are varieties with white flowers; and with 

 purple flowers. 



'I'he third species has a woody stalk two or 

 three feet high, with four-cornered branches on 

 every side the whole length : the leaves are oppo- 

 site about an inch long, and an eighth of an inch 

 broad, indented regularly on both sides almost 

 to the midrib, of a grayish colour, a pleasant 

 aromatic odour, and a biting warm taste : the 

 flowers are produced in scaly spikes at the ends 

 of the branches upon long naked peduncles : the 

 spikes are four-cornered, hairy, and about an 

 inch long, terminated by a few purplish leaves. 

 It is a native of Spain, flowering from June to • 

 September. 



The fourth is an annual (or rather a biennial 



